AUTO-NAVIGATING VEHICLE WITH FIELD-OF-VIEW ENHANCING SENSOR POSITIONING AND METHOD OF ACCOMPLISHING SAME

1 . An auto-navigating vehicle, comprising:

a payload portion configured to hold or pull a payload;

a drive system configured to cause the vehicle to drive, stop, and steer, the drive system including drive controls that enable a non-remote operator to drive the vehicle from an operator area proximate to the drive controls;

a sensor head configured to detect information indicating the absence and presence of objects in an environment;

a navigation system operatively coupled to the drive system and sensor head and configured to auto-navigate the vehicle through the environment without operator drive control,

wherein the sensor head is oriented above the drive controls and between the drive controls and payload portion, such that the sensor head is substantially out of a field of view of an operator when in the operator area.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor head is a camera head comprising one or more stereo cameras.

3 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the camera head includes a plurality of stereo cameras providing a combined camera field of view of about 360 degrees in a plane parallel to a ground surface.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:

a mast that supports the sensor head.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a rideable vehicle comprising in the operator area:

an operator platform configured to hold the operator; and

a back rest disposed between the operator platform and the payload portion,

wherein the sensor head is coupled to the backrest.

6 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the payload portion comprises a movable payload portion and the sensor head remains stationary as the movable payload portion moves vertically.

7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle is an auto-navigating pallet truck and the movable payload portion is a pair of forks.

8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the payload portion comprises a movable payload portion and the sensor head moves vertically when the movable payload portion moves vertically.

9 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle is an auto-navigating pallet truck and the movable payload portion is a pair of forks.

10 . The vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising:

at least one position detector configured to determine a movement of the sensor head and to provide offset information indicating such movement to the navigation system.

11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the navigation system is configured to adjust sensor data received from the sensor head using an offset determined from the offset information.

12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the navigation system includes and is configured to update an evidence grid that represents the environment using the adjusted sensor data.

13 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the environment is a warehouse.

14 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the robotic vehicle is an auto-navigating tugger and the operator area is in front of the vehicle.

15 . An auto-navigating warehouse vehicle, comprising:

a first portion that is vertically stationary, the first portion including drive controls configured to provide operator drive control of the vehicle when in an operator area;

a second portion defining a payload area, wherein the second portion is configured to raise and lower between a first position and a second position; and

a sensor head that forms part of a navigation system, wherein the sensor head is disposed above the operator area and between the operator area and the payload area so that the sensor head does not obstruct a field of view of an operator in the operator area when the second portion is in either of the first position and the second position.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the operator area is in the first portion.

17 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the operator area is in the second portion.

18 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the operator area is in front of the first portion.

19 . The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:

at least one position detector configured to determine a movement of the sensor head and to provide offset information indicating such movement to the navigation system.

20 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the navigation system is configured to adjust sensor data received from the sensor head using an offset determined from the offset information.

21 . A method of adjusting sensor data in an auto-navigating vehicle having a sensor head that can be moved between first and second positions, the method comprising:

providing a robotic vehicle, including:

a first portion that is vertically stationary, the first portion including drive controls configured to provide operator drive control of the vehicle when in an operator area;

a second portion defining a payload area, wherein the second portion is configured to raise and lower between a first position and a second position; and

a sensor head that forms part of a navigation system, wherein the sensor head is disposed above the operator area and between the operator area and the payload area so that the sensor head does not obstruct a field of view of an operator in the operator area when the second portion is in either of the first position and the second position;

determining an offset of the sensor head when moved from the first position; and

the navigation system adjusting the sensor data using the offset.